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The North Carolina General Assembly reconvened last week to formally begin the 2023-24 legislative session and swear in new members. There were no committee meetings or official business conducted this week. Lawmakers will return to Raleigh Wednesday, January 25 at noon.
Stein Announces for Governor
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, announced Wednesday he will run for Governor in 2024. The news confirmed speculation that Stein would run to succeed Democratic Governor Roy Cooper who is term-limited and cannot run again. Former Governor Beverly Perdue is the only Democratic Governor since 2000 to not previously serve as Attorney General; both Roy Cooper (2016-present) and Mike Easley (2001-2009) served as the state’s top prosecutor before being elected Governor.
Before being elected Attorney General in 2016, Stein served several terms in the state Senate representing Wake County.
Stein’s announcement comes earlier than previous winning gubernatorial candidates. The election for Governor is not until November 2024, with a primary sometime in the spring. According to a tweet by Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, Governors Roy Cooper, Pat McCrory, and Bev Perdue all announced their candidacies between October and December of the year preceding their election.
Stein’s video announcement takes aim at divisive rhetoric and political violence. It opens with a story about his father who was an attorney along with civil rights icon Julius Chambers, and a story about their law office being fire-bombed in 1971 during a legal battle over racial segregation in public schools. Stein’s video also targets his likely opponent, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, a Republican, who has publicly stated he is considering running for Governor in 2024. The video features clips of Robinson making controversial statements about abortion and gay marriage.
Both Stein and Robinson will likely enter the contest with well-funded campaign accounts. Although neither candidate was up for election in 2022, both continued to raise large sums of money and built up their campaign teams. According to publicly available campaign finance reports, Stein went into the second half of 2022 with $3.4 million on hand, leading Robinson who reported $2.1 million on hand.
House Committees
This week, House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) announced committee appointments for all House lawmakers for the 2023-24 legislative biennium. Many committees will see a change in membership this year as nearly a quarter of the entire House (28) are newly elected members.
The three Senior Chairs of the House Appropriations Committee, Representatives Dean Arp (R-Union), Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), and Jason Saine (R-Lincoln) will remain in their positions. Representative Wayne Sasser (R-Stanly) will join the committee as an additional Chair. Representative Matthew Winslow (R-Franklin) will become a Co-Chair of the House Energy Committee and will also succeed Representative Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort) as Chair of the House Banking Committee. Kidwell will become a Senior Chair of the House Finance Committee, along with returning Representatives John Bradford (R-Mecklenburg) and Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba). Representative Michael Wray (D-Northampton) will also be a new Senior Chair on the House Finance Committee.
Some returning members will also take key positions on committees. Representative Tricia Ann Cotham (D-Mecklenburg), who is returning to the legislature after she resigned in 2016, will join Representatives Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) and John Torbett (R-Gaston) as Chairs of the House K-12 Education Committee. Representative Stephen Ross (R-Alamance) who is returning after being defeated in 2020 will serve as Chair of the House Commerce Committee, along with Representative John Sauls (R-Lee).
Like Democratic Representatives Wray and Cotham, Representative Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) will also take a leadership role as Co-Chair of the House Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee along with Representatives John Bradford and Grey Mills (R-Iredell).
In a statement, Speaker Moore said, “As the long session gets underway, I look forward to working with this bipartisan group of leaders to ensure an even stronger North Carolina. We have a strong group of committee chairs this session, and I am confident that they will continue to propel our state forward and to the top of the pack.”
Last week, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) announced the Senate’s committee assignments.
The House committee assignments are:
Agriculture
Chairs: Jimmy Dixon (Senior Chair), Jeffrey C. McNeely
Vice Chairs: Karl E. Gillespie, Michael H. Wray
Members: Eric Ager, Kelly M. Alexander, Jr., Jennifer Balkcom, John R. Bell, IV, William D. Brisson, Mark Brody, Kanika Brown, Tricia Ann Cotham, Jeffrey Elmore, Terence Everitt, Edward C. Goodwin, Kyle Hall, Chris Humphrey, B. Ray Jeffers, Keith Kidwell, Brandon Lofton, Jarrod Lowery, Nasif Majeed, Howard Penny, Jr., Robert T. Reives, II, Wayne Sasser, Larry C. Strickland, Sam Watford
Alcoholic Beverage Control
Chairs: John R. Bradford, III, Grey Mills, Shelly Willingham
Vice Chair: Ray Pickett
Members: Kelly M. Alexander, Jr., John R. Bell, IV, Kanika Brown, Allison A. Dahle, Jon Hardister, Marvin W. Lucas, Erin Paré, Joseph Pike, Caleb Rudow, Jason Saine, David Willis, Matthew Winslow, Michael H. Wray
Appropriations
Chairs: Dean Arp (Senior Chair), Donny Lambeth (Senior Chair), Jason Saine (Senior Chair), William D. Brisson, Jeffrey Elmore, John Faircloth, Kyle Hall, Brenden H. Jones, Wayne Sasser, Larry C. Strickland
Vice Chairs: Kristin Baker, M.D., George G. Cleveland, Ted Davis, Jr., Jimmy Dixon, Karl E. Gillespie, Edward C. Goodwin, Dudley Greene, Jon Hardister, Kelly E. Hastings, Frank Iler, Jake Johnson, Charles W. Miller, Larry W. Potts, Dennis Riddell, Phil Shepard, Carson Smith, John A. Torbett, Donna McDowell White, David Willis
Members: Jay Adams, Eric Ager, Vernetta Alston, John Autry, Amber M. Baker, Cynthia Ball, Mary Belk, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, Cecil Brockman, Mark Brody, Gloristine Brown, Kanika Brown, Terry M. Brown Jr., Allen Buansi, Laura Budd, Celeste C. Cairns, Maria Cervania, Allen Chesser, Mike Clampitt, Sarah Crawford, Kevin Crutchfield, Carla D. Cunningham, Allison A. Dahle, Rosa U. Gill, Pricey Harrison, Zack Hawkins, Chris Humphrey, Frances Jackson, PhD, B. Ray Jeffers, Joe John, Abe Jones, Ya Liu, Donnie Loftis, Carolyn G. Logan, Marvin W. Lucas, Nasif Majeed, Jeffrey C. McNeely, Grey Mills, Marcia Morey, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Erin Paré, Howard Penny, Jr., Ray Pickett, Garland E. Pierce, Mark Pless, Lindsey Prather, Renée A. Price, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Amos L. Quick, III, Timothy Reeder, MD, Robert T. Reives, II, James Roberson, Caleb Rudow, Charles Smith, Frank Sossamon, Diamond Staton-Williams, RN, BSN, MHA, Sarah Stevens, Julie von Haefen, Bill Ward, Diane Wheatley, Shelly Willingham
Appropriations, Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources
Chairs: Jimmy Dixon (Senior Chair), Karl E. Gillespie, Edward C. Goodwin
Vice Chairs: Kyle Hall, Larry C. Strickland
Members: Eric Ager, Mark Brody, Gloristine Brown, Celeste C. Cairns, Allison A. Dahle, Pricey Harrison, Chris Humphrey, B. Ray Jeffers, Jeffrey C. McNeely, Amos L. Quick, III, James Roberson
Appropriations, Capital
Chair: Kelly E. Hastings
Vice Chair: Dean Arp
Members: Allen Chesser, Sarah Crawford, Frances Jackson, PhD, Ray Pickett, Diamond Staton-Williams, RN, BSN, MHA
Appropriations, Education
Chairs: Jon Hardister, John A. Torbett, David Willis
Vice Chair: Jeffrey Elmore
Members: Hugh Blackwell, Cecil Brockman, Kevin Crutchfield, Rosa U. Gill, Zack Hawkins, Marvin W. Lucas, Lindsey Prather, Frank Sossamon, Diane Wheatley
Appropriations, General Government
Chairs: George G. Cleveland, Dennis Riddell
Vice Chair: William D. Brisson
Members: Kanika Brown, Nasif Majeed, Howard Penny, Jr., Charles Smith, Julie von Haefen, Bill Ward
Appropriations, Health and Human Services
Chairs: Kristin Baker, M.D., Larry W. Potts, Donna McDowell White
Vice Chairs: Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, Wayne Sasser
Members: Cynthia Ball, William D. Brisson, Terry M. Brown Jr., Allen Buansi, Maria Cervania, Carla D. Cunningham, Ya Liu, Mark Pless, Timothy Reeder, MD
Appropriations, Information Technology
Chair: Jake Johnson
Vice Chairs: Kyle Hall, Jason Saine
Members: John Autry, Brian Biggs, Laura Budd, Renée A. Price
Appropriations, Justice and Public Safety
Chairs: Ted Davis, Jr., Dudley Greene, Charles W. Miller, Carson Smith
Vice Chairs: Mike Clampitt, John Faircloth
Members: Joe John, Abe Jones, Carolyn G. Logan, Marcia Morey, Garland E. Pierce, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Robert T. Reives, II, Sarah Stevens
Appropriations, Transportation
Chairs: Frank Iler, Phil Shepard
Vice Chair: Brenden H. Jones
Members: Jay Adams, Vernetta Alston, Amber M. Baker, Mary Belk, Donnie Loftis, Carolyn G. Logan, Grey Mills, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Caleb Rudow, Shelly Willingham
Banking
Chair: Matthew Winslow
Vice Chair: Becky Carney
Members: Jennifer Balkcom, Deb Butler, Celeste C. Cairns, Terence Everitt, Julia C. Howard, Neal Jackson, Jake Johnson, Keith Kidwell, Ya Liu, Nasif Majeed, Steve Tyson, Jeff Zenger
Commerce
Chairs: Stephen M. Ross, John Sauls
Vice Chairs: Jake Johnson, Garland E. Pierce, Steve Tyson
Members: Jay Adams, John Autry, Amber M. Baker, John R. Bradford, III, Kanika Brown, Deb Butler, Ashton Wheeler Clemmons, Sarah Crawford, Carla D. Cunningham, Terence Everitt, Kyle Hall, Julia C. Howard, Frank Iler, Brandon Lofton, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Joseph Pike, Timothy Reeder, MD, Jason Saine, Phil Shepard, Frank Sossamon, Larry C. Strickland, Matthew Winslow
Disaster Recovery and Homeland Security
Chairs: John R. Bell, IV, Mark Pless
Vice Chair: Brenden H. Jones
Members: Eric Ager, Ted Davis, Jr., Karl E. Gillespie, Chris Humphrey, Tim Longest, Caleb Rudow, Diamond Staton-Williams, RN, BSN, MHA
Education – Community Colleges
Chair: David Willis
Vice Chair: Diane Wheatley
Members: Jay Adams, Hugh Blackwell, John R. Bradford, III, Mark Brody, Gloristine Brown, Mike Clampitt, Ashton Wheeler Clemmons, Jeffrey Elmore, Joe John, Tim Longest, Howard Penny, Jr., Lindsey Prather, Renée A. Price, John Sauls, Steve Tyson, Donna McDowell White
Education – K-12
Chairs: Hugh Blackwell, Tricia Ann Cotham, John A. Torbett
Vice Chairs: Cecil Brockman, Diane Wheatley, David Willis
Members: Cynthia Ball, Brian Biggs, Laura Budd, Ashton Wheeler Clemmons, Jeffrey Elmore, Ken Fontenot, Rosa U. Gill, Frank Iler, Jake Johnson, Donny Lambeth, Brandon Lofton, Marvin W. Lucas, Larry W. Potts, Dennis Riddell, James Roberson, Phil Shepard, Frank Sossamon, Larry C. Strickland, Julie von Haefen
Education – Universities
Chairs: Jon Hardister, Ray Pickett
Vice Chair: Kelly E. Hastings
Members: Kelly M. Alexander, Jr., Kristin Baker, M.D., Gloristine Brown, Allen Buansi, Becky Carney, Kevin Crutchfield, Ted Davis, Jr., Wesley Harris, PhD, Julia C. Howard, Neal Jackson, Donny Lambeth, Marcia Morey, Lindsey Prather, Timothy Reeder, MD
Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform
Chair: Grey Mills
Vice Chairs: Allison A. Dahle, Harry Warren
Members: Amber M. Baker, Kristin Baker, M.D., Cynthia Ball, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, Allen Buansi, Tricia Ann Cotham, Ted Davis, Jr., Jimmy Dixon, John Faircloth, Pricey Harrison, Frank Iler, Joe John, Dennis Riddell, Bill Ward, Shelly Willingham, David Willis, Jeff Zenger
Energy and Public Utilities
Chairs: Dean Arp, Kyle Hall, Matthew Winslow
Vice Chairs: Brenden H. Jones, Charles W. Miller, Erin Paré
Members: Kelly M. Alexander, Jr., John R. Bell, IV, William D. Brisson, Cecil Brockman, Terry M. Brown Jr., Celeste C. Cairns, Becky Carney, Maria Cervania, Tricia Ann Cotham, Sarah Crawford, Carla D. Cunningham, Jimmy Dixon, Destin Hall, Pricey Harrison, Kelly E. Hastings, Zack Hawkins, Julia C. Howard, Grey Mills, Garland E. Pierce, Dennis Riddell, Jason Saine, John Sauls, Mitchell S. Setzer, Larry C. Strickland, Sam Watford, Michael H. Wray, Jeff Zenger
Environment
Chairs: Karl E. Gillespie, Frank Iler
Vice Chairs: Ted Davis, Jr., Pricey Harrison
Members: Kelly M. Alexander, Jr., Vernetta Alston, John Autry, Mary Belk, Cecil Brockman, Jimmy Dixon, Edward C. Goodwin, Kyle Hall, Keith Kidwell, Jeffrey C. McNeely, Howard Penny, Jr., Ray Pickett, Amos L. Quick, III, Diamond Staton-Williams, RN, BSN, MHA, Diane Wheatley, Donna McDowell White
Ethics
Chairs: John Sauls, Michael H. Wray
Vice Chair: Mitchell S. Setzer
Members: Becky Carney, Tricia Ann Cotham, Allison A. Dahle, Ted Davis, Jr., Jason Saine
Families Children and Aging Policy
Chair: Mike Clampitt
Members: Kristin Baker, M.D., Sarah Crawford, Dudley Greene, Ya Liu, Jarrod Lowery, Marcia Morey, Garland E. Pierce, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Timothy Reeder, MD, Wayne Sasser, Charles Smith, Donna McDowell White
Federal Relations and American Indian Affairs
Chair: Mike Clampitt
Vice Chairs: Karl E. Gillespie, Mark Pless
Members: Vernetta Alston, Kelly E. Hastings, Brenden H. Jones, Jarrod Lowery, Dennis Riddell, Diamond Staton-Williams, RN, BSN, MHA, Shelly Willingham
Finance
Chairs: John R. Bradford, III (Senior Chair), Keith Kidwell (Senior Chair), Mitchell S. Setzer (Senior Chair), Michael H. Wray (Senior Chair), Julia C. Howard, Stephen M. Ross, Steve Tyson
Vice Chairs: Harry Warren, Jeff Zenger
Members: Kelly M. Alexander, Jr., Jennifer Balkcom, John R. Bell, IV, Deb Butler, Becky Carney, Ashton Wheeler Clemmons, Tricia Ann Cotham, Terence Everitt, Ken Fontenot, Destin Hall, Wesley Harris, PhD, Neal Jackson, Brandon Lofton, Tim Longest, Jarrod Lowery, Joseph Pike, John Sauls, Sam Watford, Matthew Winslow
Health
Chairs: Larry W. Potts (Senior Chair), Kristin Baker, M.D., Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, Wayne Sasser, Donna McDowell White
Vice Chairs: Tricia Ann Cotham, Carla D. Cunningham
Members: Cynthia Ball, Mary Belk, Hugh Blackwell, William D. Brisson, Cecil Brockman, Allen Buansi, Becky Carney, Maria Cervania, Allen Chesser, Kevin Crutchfield, Jimmy Dixon, Ken Fontenot, Julia C. Howard, Chris Humphrey, Ya Liu, Donnie Loftis, Marvin W. Lucas, Garland E. Pierce, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Timothy Reeder, MD, Mitchell S. Setzer, Phil Shepard, Steve Tyson, Sam Watford, Diane Wheatley, Michael H. Wray
Insurance
Chairs: Chris Humphrey, Mitchell S. Setzer
Vice Chairs: Marvin W. Lucas, Wayne Sasser, Shelly Willingham
Members: Kristin Baker, M.D., John R. Bradford, III, Terry M. Brown Jr., Allen Chesser, George G. Cleveland, Rosa U. Gill, Kyle Hall, Julia C. Howard, Donny Lambeth, Nasif Majeed, Garland E. Pierce, Larry W. Potts, James Roberson, Steve Tyson, Harry Warren, Michael H. Wray
Judiciary 1
Chair: Ted Davis, Jr.
Vice Chair: Grey Mills
Members: John R. Bradford, III, Tricia Ann Cotham, Rosa U. Gill, Jon Hardister, Pricey Harrison, Abe Jones, Larry W. Potts, Jason Saine
Judiciary 2
Chair: Sarah Stevens
Vice Chair: Charles W. Miller
Members: Vernetta Alston, Laura Budd, Dudley Greene, Marcia Morey, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Robert T. Reives, II, Carson Smith, David Willis
Judiciary 3
Chair: Hugh Blackwell
Vice Chair: Bill Ward
Members: Terry M. Brown Jr., Terence Everitt, John Faircloth, Wesley Harris, PhD, Julia C. Howard, Joe John, Keith Kidwell, Jeff Zenger
Local Government
Chairs: Howard Penny, Jr., Sam Watford
Members: John Autry, John Faircloth, Frances Jackson, PhD, B. Ray Jeffers, Donnie Loftis, Brandon Lofton, Charles W. Miller, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Ray Pickett, Lindsey Prather, Wayne Sasser, Mitchell S. Setzer, Julie von Haefen, Donna McDowell White
Local Government – Land Use Planning and Development
Chair: Mark Brody
Members: Jay Adams, Jennifer Balkcom, Cynthia Ball, Gloristine Brown, Kevin Crutchfield, Allison A. Dahle, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Renée A. Price, Caleb Rudow, Sam Watford, Jeff Zenger
Marine Resources and Aquaculture
Chair: George G. Cleveland
Vice Chair: Celeste C. Cairns
Members: Edward C. Goodwin, Wesley Harris, PhD, Pricey Harrison, Zack Hawkins, Frank Iler, Keith Kidwell, Tim Longest, Charles W. Miller, Harry Warren
Military and Veterans Affairs
Chairs: Edward C. Goodwin, Donnie Loftis
Vice Chairs: George G. Cleveland, Nasif Majeed
Members: Dean Arp, John Autry, Celeste C. Cairns, Allen Chesser, Ken Fontenot, Frances Jackson, PhD, Carolyn G. Logan, Erin Paré, Garland E. Pierce, Larry W. Potts, Charles Smith, Julie von Haefen
Oversight Reform
Chairs: Jake Johnson, Harry Warren
Members: Dean Arp, Maria Cervania, Allen Chesser, George G. Cleveland, Allison A. Dahle, Jeffrey C. McNeely, Amos L. Quick, III, Sarah Stevens, Shelly Willingham
Pensions and Retirement
Chairs: Carson Smith, Diane Wheatley
Vice Chair: Rosa U. Gill
Members: Mark Brody, Jeffrey Elmore, Donny Lambeth, Joseph Pike, Amos L. Quick, III, James Roberson, Stephen M. Ross
Redistricting
Chair: Destin Hall
Vice Chairs: Jason Saine, John A. Torbett
Members: Cecil Brockman, Becky Carney, Jimmy Dixon, Ken Fontenot, Jon Hardister, Pricey Harrison, Kelly E. Hastings, Zack Hawkins, Abe Jones, Brenden H. Jones, Jarrod Lowery, Grey Mills, Robert T. Reives, II, Sarah Stevens, Harry Warren
Regulatory Reform
Chairs: Dennis Riddell, Jeff Zenger
Members: Eric Ager, Amber M. Baker, Mary Belk, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, John R. Bradford, III, Mark Brody, Terry M. Brown Jr., Deb Butler, Mike Clampitt, Allison A. Dahle, Keith Kidwell, Erin Paré, Renée A. Price, Sarah Stevens
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Chair: Destin Hall
Vice Chairs: Kelly E. Hastings, Brenden H. Jones, John A. Torbett
Members: John R. Bell, IV, William D. Brisson, Becky Carney, Ashton Wheeler Clemmons, Tricia Ann Cotham, Carla D. Cunningham, Allison A. Dahle, Ted Davis, Jr., Jimmy Dixon, Kyle Hall, Jon Hardister, Neal Jackson, Grey Mills, Erin Paré, Amos L. Quick, III, Robert T. Reives, II, Jason Saine, Steve Tyson, Shelly Willingham, Michael H. Wray
State Government
Chair: Harry Warren
Members: Jennifer Balkcom, Dudley Greene, Frances Jackson, PhD, B. Ray Jeffers, Joseph Pike, Stephen M. Ross, Charles Smith, John A. Torbett, Bill Ward
State Personnel
Chair: A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr.
Vice Chair: Dudley Greene
Members: Amber M. Baker, Edward C. Goodwin, Neal Jackson, Carolyn G. Logan, Bill Ward, Shelly Willingham
Transportation
Chairs: Brenden H. Jones, Jeffrey C. McNeely, Phil Shepard, Steve Tyson
Vice Chairs: Jay Adams, George G. Cleveland, Frank Iler, Ben T. Moss, Jr.
Members: Vernetta Alston, Dean Arp, Mary Belk, Brian Biggs, Deb Butler, Becky Carney, John Faircloth, Edward C. Goodwin, Wesley Harris, PhD, Zack Hawkins, Joe John, Donnie Loftis, Carolyn G. Logan, Charles W. Miller, Marcia Morey, Ray Pickett, Mark Pless, James Roberson, Stephen M. Ross, Frank Sossamon, Harry Warren, Matthew Winslow
UNC Board of Governors Nominations
Chair: Kelly E. Hastings
Vice Chairs: Ted Davis, Jr., Jon Hardister
Members: Amber M. Baker, Laura Budd, Abe Jones, Donny Lambeth, Nasif Majeed, Ray Pickett, Mitchell S. Setzer, Diamond Staton-Williams, RN, BSN, MHA, John A. Torbett
Unemployment Insurance
Chair: Julia C. Howard
Members: Terry M. Brown Jr., Deb Butler, Destin Hall, Tim Longest, Mitchell S. Setzer, Harry Warren
Wildlife Resources
Chairs: Jay Adams, Ben T. Moss, Jr.
Vice Chairs: Mike Clampitt, Karl E. Gillespie
Members: William D. Brisson, Carla D. Cunningham, Jake Johnson, Abe Jones, Brandon Lofton, Marvin W. Lucas, Mark Pless, Caleb Rudow, Carson Smith, Michael H. Wray
Upcoming Legislative Meetings
Wednesday, January 25
12:00PM: House Session
12:00PM: Senate Session